1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital image processing device which filters original image data for making a soft focus picture with a digital camera for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a silver-halide film camera, a soft focus picture is taken using a soft focus lens. The soft focus picture is a slightly blurred picture, and a flare appears on this picture. But the contours of the object appear clear in this picture. Therefore, the characteristics of the object are sufficiently clear in the soft focus picture.
On the other hand, in a digital camera, an original image taken by the digital camera is processed by using low-pass filter process, so that the original image changes to the soft focus picture image. For example, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) NO. 9-251532, all the image data, namely all the color data (R, G and B), taken by the digital camera, is filtered using a low-pass filter so as to change to the soft focus picture image.
However, if all the color data is filtered, the image loses its overall shape, further the contours of the object in the image become unclear. Therefore, the characteristics of the object are not sufficiently clear in the image. Further, a pseudo color is generated if the color balance of the image is lost in the filtering process.
Furthermore, if all the color data is filtered, the amount of processed data is very large, and hence the process speed is very slow. Therefore, it has been suggested that only one type of color data which is selected from all of the color data (R, G and B), should be filtered for increasing the process speed. But in this case, the color balance is lost and hence an unnatural image is generated.